diff --git a/+ndi/element.m b/+ndi/element.m
index 665ff359..e058ada6 100644
--- a/+ndi/element.m
+++ b/+ndi/element.m
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-classdef element < ndi.ido & ndi.epoch.epochset & ndi.documentservice
+classdef element < ndi.ido & ndi.epoch.epochset & ndi.documentservice & matlab.mixin.Heterogeneous
     % ndi.element - define or examine a element in the session
     %
     properties (GetAccess=public, SetAccess=protected)
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
             %
             set_identifier = 0;
 
+            if nargin == 0;
+                return % Support 0-argument construction
+            end
+
             needs_newdocument_call = 1;
 
             if numel(varargin)>=6,